A couple of days ago, I actually heard from the VESID rehab counselor instead of from the job developer. The VESID lady wanted to know about my doc's appointment at the end of May. Well no, you see that is yet one more thing that the job developer had gotten wrong. I had told her that the appointment was in June or July, NOT May. May had not been mentioned in the context of a doc's appointment at all. No surprises there. I detest incompetence.
The VESID lady still wants her stupid fruckin' doc "return to work" note. That in itself is a joke. What work? It took several years for me to even meet with a job developer. I finally did and said job developer panicked over a routine (for me) vertigo attack, resulting in the latest stalemate. I been to the CAP agency before. Quite frankly, I don't have the energy for all of this burrsit. And furthermore, VESID sucks.
I cannot point to one "professional" who bothered to find out who I am, or even who bothered to read through all of the medical records. Not one. The percentage of folks who get off of disability is extremely low. Participation in VESID (O.V.R. or B.V.R. in other places) knocks that percentage up a bit. Problem: the professionals' definition of meaningful employment is way different from our definition. VESID is noted as per anecdotal stories available on the web (google "VESID problems," "VESID horror stories," or "VESID sucks" if you wish to read any of them, for an "any job" sort of attitude. That "any job" attitude translates into low-paying down to minimum wage regardless of experience and abilities. Just get us all employed.
The problem is that if we have to go back out on disability at some future date, the S.S.D. folks get to add in the effects of the shit jobs to our benefit checks at that future date. It is no wonder that many of us choose part-time work, especially at first to try to gauge our ability to return to the workforce full-time. And for those of us who are no longer able to do what we used to do (or who are not hire-able into a field which we had years and years of experience due to whatever the hell the last ex-employer is telling folks about us: le sigh), it does not make sense to practically kill ourselves working in a minimum wage job. Sorry, that is the way it is. So if I take a job for subsistent wages and lose the disability after nine months, I screw myself for when I need to be on disability again later on.
Putting up with VESID's shit has been rather taxing for me. Doing more of what doesn't work doesn't work, as Nathaniel Branden says. Trouble is, I can't seem to find what does work. Mate brings home job postings that I am not qualified for and/or not able to perform due to limitations donated to me courtesy of my traumatic brain injury. There are times when having a traumatic brain injury sucks big-time.
*discouraged sapphoq still healing traumatic brain injury giving up on VESID but never on herself.
3 comments:
All state voc rehab sucks. It is in their best interest to fail. VESID gets federal funding based on need so the more unresolved cases they have the more money they get.
VESID is incompetent by design. They hire souless slime who enjoy frustrating and confounding clients. They truly are evil.
They will say that your TBI is too tough for them but the fact is they screw up with almost everyone. The doctors they sent you to are also crooks.
Yes-I agree. VESID sucks. A job developer from VESID promised me she would help and she said I was finally going to get a job. I had waited years and solely wanted to work. I guess they thought that I literally meant "I could not find a job" because rather than placement the job developer who probably makes $50,000/yr decided to cut out the URL/address of craigslist ads and email them to me--which I of course knew how to apply for myself. She never met with me and never could refer me to anywhere, except Good Temps, who never placed me seeing that I was associated with VESID. It has been a living hell since bosses are such jerks to anyone they find incapable, weird or even lonely (or friendly). They kill! Oh well, guess I have to do everything friendless and alone in this world as usual.
There was also another VESID-sponsored hole in the wall in midtown that paid a job developer for 4 years, even paid her maternity leave and took her back after, who told me (between us), that she had not once placed one person in a job--from scrubbing toilets and baking in a shop, to writing and editing jobs--not one--not ever. These companies with the state money are FOSH. You know FOSH-Full of it.
I asked for you to post a comment. Could you keep out my gmail account and name. I am frightened of the repercussions at work who might be affiliated. Thank you for understanding. I tried to agree and also give a testimonial about how VESID doesn't work, but it must remain a secret who I am. Thank you again so much for that right to privacy--just in case you post.
Post a Comment